6 Days
6 Destinations
12 GUESTS (MAX)
Want to travel this journey privately?
Learn moreA 6-day luxury package with everything Southern Peru has to offer: discover the Incan capital of Cusco, walk the streets steeped in history and culture, travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, see the natural beauty, take a luxury train to the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and take a guided tour of the site. Travel on the Belmond Andean Explorer train through the high Andes to the lakeside city of Puno, where you can explore the magical Lake Titicaca.
Comfortable camping with private chef and portable toilet. Modern vehicles with private driver.
Some steep inclines at high altitudes, that can be regarded as strenuous. With sufficient pre-trail training, its easily achievable.
Hiking, trekking, and camping.
Small group experience; Max 12, Avg 5..
Hiking, trekking, and camping.
Small group experience; Max 12, Avg 5..
A living city that combines Inca temples and palaces, a perfect combination of Andean and Spanish culture. The first place we will visit will be the Temple of the Sun or Qoricancha on which the Santo Domingo Convent (Order of the Dominicans) has been built. Then we leave the city to appreciate the great Inca wonder of Sacsaywaman, considered the greatest architectural work whose Inca walls have no equivalent in the world. Then we move a little further away from the city to visit the sacred places of Qenqo, Pukapukara and Tambomachay. At the end of the tour we will take you back to your hotel.
It was one of the most venerated and respected temples in the city. The “golden enclosure”, as it was known, was a sacred place where homage was paid to the highest Inca god: the INTI, so they could only enter on an empty stomach, barefoot and with a load on their back as a sign of humility, as indicated by the high priest Wilaq Umo. Inside the temple, not only the Sun was worshipped, but also other minor deities such as the Moon and Venus. According to the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, the middle room in the northwest corner of the temple was dedicated to the worship of the Moon, and the next one was for Venus, the Pleiades and other constellations. On the other side of the courtyard, in two smaller rooms, worship was paid to the Thunder (Illapa) and the Rainbow (Cuichu). On its façade there was an altar that held the gold plate that reflected the sun at dawn. Today it is partially destroyed by colonial works that were rebuilt later. The Qoricancha not only housed the main gods of the Inca pantheon, but also had a magical-religious projection, whose purpose was to sacralize the geography of Tahuantinsuyu. For this reason, from the center of the main court, inticancha, the ceques departed, which are the virtual lines that communicated the temple with the spirits that lived in the mountains (apus), before whom, even the powerful Incas, bowed their heads. The base of the Inca composition for the construction of the temple was the court, a patio around which several rectangular enclosures were arranged. The first, which was next to Intipampa, contained the main buildings for the cult of the Sun and other gods of the Inca pantheon; while in the second, located in front of that square, Punchao was venerated (a representation of the Sun that consisted of a statue of pure gold the height of a ten-year-old child) that remained there during the day, and at night was taken to the square for veneration. The idol «slept» accompanied by numerous ñustas in a neighbouring building, outside the court, and was then returned to its original place in the morning.
Sacsaywaman is one of the Inca constructions that most amazes tourists who, according to new hypotheses, point out that it would have been a very important ceremonial centre and not a fortress.
In any case, let’s look at the traditional understanding of Sacsayhuamán. It would be a spectacular fortress built with enormous carved rocks, joined with absolute precision. Together with Machu Picchu and Choquequirao, it is, without a doubt, one of the greatest architectural works of the Tahuantinsuyu. But, in addition, it represents the undoubted constancy of the administrative capacity of the empire and its powerful logistical apparatus. Its Quechua name means «satisfied falcon». Therefore, it was the falcon that guarded the capital of the empire, since from the hill on which it was erected it dominates the entire city. If, as is known, Cusco was designed in the shape of a recumbent puma, Sacsayhuamán would be its head, while Qoricancha would correspond to the feline’s genitals. Its shape and location would have rather obeyed other principles, such as harmony between architecture and landscape. Current research suggests that it would have been a temple dedicated to the cult of the Sun, for which not only the construction was important, but also the environment that surrounded it.
This Quechua name means (labyrinth). During the Inca period this place was a temple for public ceremonies. It is an enormous semicircular area 55 meters long with 19 incomplete niches distributed along the wall. Some publications claim that the niches were arranged around the amphitheater as seats for the entities that were worshipped, but according to recent research it is very likely that they were actually the bases of a large wall. In front of the free area there is a large stone block 6 meters high that rests on a solid rectangular pedestal. It is possible that it was a gigantic sculpture that must have had zoomorphic models. The lack of precision is due to the traces of destruction caused by the idolaters (people in charge of eliminating the icons of the local cult) during the Colony. It also has a rocky outcrop decorated with a passage leading to an underground room, a complex of platforms, rooms and a system of drainage channels intended to evacuate water from the place. The underground chamber, The rock carving carried out here is quite a feat. Floors, ceilings, walls, tables and niches were carefully carved into the living rock. Without a doubt, it was a place of worship for secret and hidden rites. The builders of the place completed its composition with service rooms on the perimeter. It also has platforms and channels for the evacuation of rainwater.
Puka pukara means «red fortress», because the limestone stones with which it is built have acquired the reddish color of the terrain, which is very rich in iron.
It is said that it had the function of protecting Tambomach’ay, an important palace in the Inka period. But at the same time, due to its architectural layout and the existence of fountains, aqueducts and multiple enclosures, and its proximity to the old road, which can be seen gaining the pass in the northern mountain and which led to Huch’uy Qosqo and Calca in the Sacred Valley, it was a «tambo», that is, a collective shelter that offered lodging and food to travelers, as well as to the entourage that had to accompany the Inca in his retreat in Tambomach’ay.
In Puka pukara there are enclosures, interior plazas, baths, aqueducts, watchtowers and an easily recognizable Inca road. The buildings are made of medium and small stones, the external surface of the polyhedrons is slightly rough unlike other archaeological complexes; in short, the urban layout is extremely adequate and functional.
The archaeological site of Tambomachay is located 8 km (15 min.) northeast of Cusco, by paved road, and 1 km from Puca-pucará. It is located on the slopes of a hill near the main road to Antisuyo, on the Tambomachay River. It is also known as the Tambo de la Caverna and occupies an area of 437 square meters, located at an altitude of 3,700 meters. Apparently it was the favorite spa of the Inca, but at the same time, it was one of the pillars of the Cusco Valley’s defensive system. The name comes from two Quechua words: Tampu, which means collective accommodation and Mach’ay, which means resting place. However, according to other references, the word «machay» means «caverns», which would describe the peculiar environment of the place where these natural rock formations can be seen, which, according to indigenous tradition, were objects of veneration or magical practices. Formed by a set of finely carved stone structures, aqueducts and waterfalls from nearby springs and hot springs (which is why it is thought to have been related to the cult of water), it is one of the pillars of the Andean worldview. It is considered one of the shrines of the first ceque of Antisuyo.
Cult of Water: Water itself was venerated as the source of life. Tambomachay has an extraordinary hydraulic system. Two aqueducts artistically carved into the rock transport and maintain a constant flow of clean, clear water throughout the year, which comes from a pool at a higher level. This network of underground channels pours its water into a small stone pool at the lowest level. This pool must have been a liturgical fountain, where the Inca worshipped water with the greats of the Empire. The “Bath of the Ñusta” is very similar to the one in Ollantaytambo, made of perfectly assembled stones, with a carved border and drainage channels. Although today it is an open-air structure, the foundations seem to indicate that it was originally a closed enclosure. It is entered through four trapezoidal portico platforms with double jambs.
Remember:
The tourist ticket can be purchased at any archaeological center and its cost is:
We begin our tour at 7:00 am, when we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco, and then head towards the fertile valley of the Urubamba River (2 hours away) to the famous Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will make a stop at the Taray viewpoint where we can enjoy a spectacular view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and take pictures. Our guide will tell us about the variety of products such as corn, quinoa, kiwicha and more that we have in the fields that we will see from the viewpoint, in addition to one of the most important rivers in the valley, the famous Urubamba River or also called Wilkamayu (sacred river).
At the end of our guide’s explanation, we will board our transport again to finally arrive at the archaeological center of Pisaq where we will visit such a majestic place.
The archaeological zone of Pisac has admirable palaces, ceremonial temples, water channels and wells. Large production warehouses, as well as the amazing cemetery made up of thousands of tombs dug into the mountain. We can also admire the incredible agricultural terraces that allowed for increased food production, which would be its most important activity, agriculture. At the foot of the mountain there is a beautiful urban area located on a high semicircular promontory. The ruin is surrounded by large agricultural terraces that harmonize with the natural curvature of the landscape.
At the end of our visit we will board our transport to continue our trip to the town of Urubamba for 1 hour and a half where we will have our lunch .
After lunch we will head towards the MARAS salt mines where we will be dazzled by the beauty of more than 3 thousand salt pools that are still used for salt extraction since the time of the Incas. A hot spring located at the top releases water loaded with salt that is diverted to the wells and evaporated to produce salt that is sold in the region. Don’t worry, we will go down to the lower part of the salt mines where you will take the beautiful photos that you see on our page and on social networks. Likewise, our guide will answer any questions you may have. At the end of our visit to the Maras salt mines, we will board our transport again to continue to our next destination, which is the archaeological site of Moray, which is 20 minutes away.
Upon arriving at the archaeological site of Moray, our guide will tell us the history of this incredible place.
Moray is also known as “The greenhouses of the Incas”. A unique and fascinating place. Where we will find several concentric terraces that have been excavated within a large natural bowl. Each terrace has a microclimate that allowed the Incas to adapt certain crops to the high Andean climate conditions; only in this way were they able to define the optimal conditions for the crops. It is also thought that this place served to create new varieties of plants.
After finishing the explanation, we will take a 20-minute walk around Moray to better appreciate such a beautiful place and take photos for our memories. Then we will head towards our transport that will take us to our final destination, the fortress of Ollantaytambo.
After 40 minutes in our transport we will arrive at the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, where we will appreciate one of the largest fortresses made by the Incas, here our guide will explain to us about the history of Ollantaytambo.
The Ollantaytambo fortress, one of the most important archaeological centers, was built to celebrate the victory of the Inca Pachacuteq over the Tambos. It is admired for its monumental construction and strategic location within the Sacred Valley, highlighting its main military functions. It contains structures such as the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Hall, the Incahuatana and the Baths of the Princess. This site is one of the few places where the Spanish lost a battle during the conquest. At the end of our visit to Ollantaytambo we will board our transport for the last time, which will be waiting for us, to go to our hotel in the town of Ollantaytambo. Here we will spend the night to finish our first day and thus begin the Inca Trail the next day.
Remember:
The tourist ticket can be purchased at any archaeological center and its cost is:
We will pick you up at your hotel at 5:40 am, then head to the Ollantaytambo train station to depart on the 6:10 am expedition train. You will enjoy the ride through alpine meadows nestled between the green and white peaks of glaciers, intricately formed valleys, layers of hand-made Inca terraces, snow-capped mountains, and subtropical jungle near the Amazon from Ollantaytambo. The sacred Vilcanota River will be our companion until your arrival in Aguas Calientes.
Your guide will meet you at the train station in the town of Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu village) at 10:52 am. You will have just a few minutes to buy a sandwich or something for lunch before being transferred to Machu Picchu on the bus. Continuing with the itinerary we will board the bus for 25 minutes to Machu Picchu (lost city of the Incas), upon arrival we will begin the 2 and a half hour guided tour and cultural exchange of the history of Machu Picchu with our guide who will answer all your questions. Then you will be given free time to explore, take photos or walk to the Sun Gate (not included). At the end of the guided tour we will go to the bus stop to take the bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes. Back to Aguas Calientes, you will take the vistadome train early in the afternoon at 2:30 pm to the Ollantaytambo station, arriving at approximately 5:10 pm. From this point, we will take care of returning to your hotel in the city of Cusco in our private transportation, thus ending the tour and ending this unforgettable adventure at approximately 7:00 pm. Additional information:
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up at 10 am from your hotel in Cusco to be transferred by our private transport to the Cusco train station. There, you will board the most luxurious train to Puno, the Belmond Andean Train.
The Belmond Andean Explorer Train features an open-air observation car, which will allow you to admire the majestic views while enjoying the typical music and dances of the Peruvian highlands. During your trip, you will have the opportunity to take panoramic photographs of some of the most picturesque Andean landscapes.
During the trip, you will enjoy lunch, dinner and breakfast offering the best in gourmet food. The quality of our personalized service is guaranteed. You will sleep in your own private cabin as you travel to Puno, where you will arrive around 7 am the next day. Upon arrival your guide will be waiting to take you to your hotel so you can change clothes and prepare for the adventure that awaits us on the largest navigable lake in the world (Lake Titicaca)
You will have breakfast at 6:00 am on the train and will be transferred to the port of Puno for your tour at 8:30 am. Our first stop will be at the Floating Islands of the Uros. The Uros are a native people who live on these artificial islands created from totora reeds grown on Lake Titicaca. Their houses are built on top while cooking is done outside the houses to prevent fires. After spending some time on the Island of the Uros, you will continue to the Island of Taquile. Here, you will notice that the locals speak Aymara instead of the predominant Quechua of the Cusco region. Taquile Island was once part of the Inca Empire.
The influence can be seen in the constructions these people create. Once you arrive at the island, you will receive a briefing, traditional dances, crafts displays, and lunch. In the afternoon, the boat will take you back to Puno. Upon arrival at the port of Puno, we will transfer you to your hotel, thus concluding our magnificent journey across Lake Titicaca.
After breakfast at your hotel, we will enjoy the remaining time in Puno. Then, in the morning or afternoon, we can take you in 1 hour and a half to Juliaca Airport for your flight back to Lima. (One-way transfer is not included and costs $100 USD).
Please read the information provided carefully as it will help answer all your questions about our services.
If you wish, we can pick you up from the airport to give you a warm welcome to the city of Cusco and transfer you to your hotel, so you must inform us of your flight details at least 14 days before your trip. On the day of your arrival, please look for our representative who will be holding a sign with the META Peru logo at the airport (coordinate when making your reservation).
The information talk will take place the night before the trek at 6:00 pm at our office or at your hotel.
FIRST, to book your INCA TRAIL tour to Machu Picchu, we need you to fill out our reservation form by clicking BOOK NOW on our home page as well as to the right side of the tour of your choice or click here on the INQUIRE NOW link to contact us so we can give you the best options during your stay in PERU.
Please note that we cannot purchase your Machu Picchu tickets without the following information:
Remember: that during the period of 2025 the tickets to the Inca citadel (MACHUPICCHU) are in high demand so we recommend you make the reservation in advance to guarantee an unforgettable quality experience.
***Copies of the passport of each participant are required in order to reserve the tickets for the visit to the Inca citadel (MACHUPÍCCHU)!
SECOND, we require a deposit of $250.00 USD per person, in order to purchase the entrance tickets to the archaeological park of MACHUPICCHU. You can make your deposit by clicking on the symbols VISA, PAYPAL or the payment method that is enabled when you click on BOOK NOW that is located on the right side of the chosen tour or you can also send us a message to our email to contact you, this link will be found in INQUIRE NOW.
We would appreciate it if you pay in cash at our office (we accept US dollars or Peruvian soles) during your briefing 2 or 4 days before your trip. We have many ATMs in downtown Cusco. You can also pay with VISA or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance via PAYPAL, you must log in to your PAYPAL account using our email address of metaperutravel@gmail.com.
We recommend you pay in cash at our offices to avoid this charge.
At META PERU your care and experience is the most important thing.
¡Yes! You must bring your original passport and it is very important that it has the same passport number that you sent us to book your permit for the Machu Picchu Tour or package. Your passport will be checked when you enter Machu Picchu and when you board the train. In case you are renewing your passport, please send us a copy of your old passport to secure your permission and be able to change it when you get your new passport. If so, please send us a copy of your new passport as soon as possible.
DISCOUNTS
In the event that you are unable to finish the trek due to health reasons, our team will take you to the nearest town for assistance with transportation. We always carry oxygen on our treks for any respiratory issues. In extreme cases, we can arrange for a helicopter at your expense. (Travel insurance required, recommended). There are no refunds in the unlikely situation that you are unable to finish the trek.
Generally, those who need help getting off the trail are taken to Ollantaytambo and if they recover quickly they continue the journey to Aguas Calientes (cost incurred by the trekker) and visit Machu Picchu according to the original plan.
Unfortunately, the answer is No. Once the permits have been purchased, the Peruvian government does not allow any changes, so we cannot change any dates after the permit has been purchased. The permits are also non-transferable and non-refundable. If you cancel your Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 days, the deposit is not refundable at all.
Of course! Round-trip transfer to your hotel is included in all our packages! If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley, we will drop you off there and vice versa.
If you are satisfied with the services provided, a tip is appreciated by our staff, although it is not mandatory. While it may not be a custom, it is of great importance to the people who will take care of you during the trek. It inspires excellent service and is an ingrained feature of the tourism industry in many META Peru destinations. Of course, you are free to tip as much as you like, depending on your perception of the quality and length of your trip. Remember, tipping is not mandatory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes, we are a local, sustainable and responsible tour operator that incorporates universal principles of tourism: protecting the environment and benefiting local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know, respect and understand local places and people in relation to the environment.
You can rent from us, please request it in the briefing or at the time of making your reservation.
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